**Georgian Politician Prepares for Arrest, Slams “Punitive System”**
In a defiant statement, Zurab “Girchi” Japaridze, one of the leaders of the Coalition for Change, has announced that he expects to be arrested on Thursday, May 22. Japaridze is refusing to pay the 20,000 GEL bail imposed by the court after he refused to appear before a temporary parliamentary investigative commission.
Speaking in an interview with Palitra News’ program “Polit-City,” Japaridze stated that there was a 99% chance of him being arrested during the hearing scheduled for Thursday. When asked if he planned to pay the bail, Japaridze replied firmly, “No, there is no chance.”
Japaridze’s decision not to pay the bail and face potential arrest is a matter of principle for him. He believes that the justice system in Georgia is flawed and amounts to a “punitive system.” He pointed out that other politicians who paid the bail were not doing so out of conviction, but rather due to personal circumstances.
“I’m not attending because I trust the system or believe I’ll find justice,” Japaridze said. “I think it’s important for anyone interested in politics to witness how the system really works – a system that hasn’t changed since the Soviet Union.”
Japaridze’s comments reflect his views on the ongoing political situation in Georgia, where protests and demonstrations continue to take place against the ruling Georgian Dream party. While acknowledging that protests alone are not enough to bring about change, Japaridze believes they are essential for showing citizens’ dissatisfaction with the current regime.
**Protests Continue, Elections Loom**
The Coalition for Change leader also spoke out against participating in local elections under the current system. He believes that doing so would be a major political mistake and would indirectly legitimize the previous elections and their results.
Japaridze expressed confidence that the party “Gakharia for Georgia” will not participate in the local elections, which he sees as disastrous for its leader, Giorgi Gakharia.
**Victory Expected**
Despite the challenges facing the opposition, Japaridze is confident that Georgia will not become “Russified” and that the people’s struggle will ultimately end in victory. He emphasized that every citizen needs to understand what will happen if Georgian Dream stays in power – a warning about the potential consequences of inaction.
“I don’t think anyone should think that this is just a game, or that they can stay home and everything will be okay,” Japaridze concluded. “If you stay home, then where do you end up? You wake up in Chechnya.”
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